Automatic shut-off dispensing nozzle valve with timer controlled shut-off



May 26, 1959 E. P. TURNER AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF DISPENSING NOZZLE VALVE WITH TIMER CONTROLLED SHUT-OFF' Filed Aug. 12, 1957 INVENTOR. Edgar P. 7' amer vBY 7m/m d May 26, 1959 AUTOMATIC SHUT-FF DISPENSING NOZZLE VALVE v WITH TIMER CONTROLLED SHUT-OFF Filed Aug. l2, 1957 E P. TURNER 2,888,171

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Edgar P, Turne `BY l 7mm d. zg

United States Patent AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF DISPENSING N OZZLE VALVE WITH TIMER CONTROLLED SHUT-OFF Edgar P. Turner, Watchung, NJ. Application August 12, 1957, Serial No. 677,644 7 Claims. (CI. 222-47) This invention relates to automatically operated liow control valves or nozzles of the type exemplified by such patents as Payne, No. 1,550,738; Davis, No. 2,320,033; and Duerr, No. 2,582,195; and wherein approximate iilling of a receptacle by way of such nozzle serves to automatically close the valve.

More particularly this invention relates to mechanism which enables a fluid dispensing nozzle valve to be automatically shut off at the end of a predetermined time while retaining the feature of automatic shut-oli responsive to the tilling of the receptacle.

A current problem larises in the dispensing of gasoline where the customer requests a certain amount or more specifically, a certain number of dollars worth of gasoline.

With present equipment, it is necessary for the attendantl to remain at the nozzle until the proper amount is indicated on the pump register so that he can then manually shut oif the valve. This represents unproductive waiting time and unnecessary captive labor which is unavailable for servicing other'customers who may even then be waiting somewhat impatiently at idle pumps.

According to the present invention means are incorporated in the dispensing nozzle itself whereby ra setting can be made in accordance with the amount of gasoline requested, which setting establishes a time limit on the ilow through the nozzle at the end of which time the valve is shut off automatically and the customer has received his requested amount of gasoline. In this case, the attendant need not stand by the nozzle waiting for the specified amount to be dispensed bu-t is free to go about other work.

A primary object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a dispensing nozzle valve which may be preset to deliver a specied amount of fluid and then to shut oi automatically when the specified amount has been delivered.

A further object of this invention is to provide a fluid dispensing nozzle valve having a dial calibrated in dollar units of delivered duid and means Vfor adjusting the tlow through said nozzle to make the value of the amount of fluid delivered equal to the indicated dollar unit.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a dispensing nozzle valve in which a mechanically wound timer is setto shutoff the valve l,after a predetermined time has elapsed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a timercontrolled dispensing nozzle valve in which the act of manually opening the valve starts the timer running.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the following detailed description tand the drawing in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal section taken through an automatic shut-off nozzle valve constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan View partly in section taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan View partly in section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a top plan view showing the timer dial of the valve of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a modilication of the structure of Figure l.

Referring now to Figure l there is shown an automatic shut-off dispensing nozzle valve substantially the same as that shown in the United States Patent No. 2,582,195 except that it is modified according to the present invention to include means for automatically shutting ofr" the valve at the end of an adjustable preset time interval. Reference may be had to the above mentioned patent for a more detailed description of the nozzle valve per se.

It will be suliicient for this description to note that the nozzle valve comprises a body provided with an inlet passageway 11 which leads to a valve seat 12 on which a main valve 13 is normally pressed on seated by a spring 14. When the main valve 13 is open, inlet passageway 11 communicates with an outlet passageway 15 which in turn is connected to a discharge nozzle 16.

The main valve 13 is provided with a valve stem 17 disposed to be engaged at its lower end by a hand lever 18 when the lever is actuated upwardly to lift the valve off the seat 12 against the force of the spring 14. A fulcrum comprises a pin 19 on which the lever 1S is pivotally mounted. The pin 19 is supported by a yoke 20 connected to the lower end of a plunger 21 which is slidingly disposed in a sleeve 22 integral with the valve body 10, and an externally threaded sleeve 23, the latter being threaded into sleeve 22. The plunger 21 is urged upwardly by a coil spring 24 but is restricted in its travel by contact of yoke 20 with the base of body 10. It is urged downward by spring 14 as will be explained.

Normally, the plunger 21 is held in a iixed position by a locking mechanism comprising a plurality of balls 25 `nested in radial openings 26 in the plunger 21 and on annular shoulder 27 on the interior of sleeve 23. The

balls 25 are held on shoulder 27 by a pin 28 secured to the underside of a spring-loaded diaphragm 29. The pin 28 is provided with a tapered portion 30 at a location slightly below the balls 25. Below tapered portion 30 the pin 28 includes a depending stem 31 which serves as a ball retainer. Thus, when the pin 28 is raised to a position where the tapered portion 30 is adjacent the balls 25, plunger 21 will be actuated downwardly provided hand lever 18 is in its valve opening position. This movement of the plunger 21 results because of the stronger force of the spring 14 and the relatively weaker force of the spring 24. When the plunger 21 moves downward, yoke 20 is released to the `dotted line position shown in Fig. l whereby the valve stem 17 is disengaged from hand lever 18. f

A constricted throat or passageway 32 on the discharge side of the main valve 13 communicates by way of a duct 33 to a chamber 34 above the diaphragm 29 formed by a cap member 35 which is secured to the valve body 10 and clamps the marginal edge of the diaphragm 29. Located in the cap member 35 is a port 36 leading from the chamber 34 into a transverse cylindrical bore 37 in which slides a piston Valve 38 to cover or uncover said port 36. Leading out of said bore 37 is a port 39 which connects with a tube 40 the open end 41 of which is at adjacent the outlet of the nozzle 16.

The cap member 35 is formed with a recess 42 in which is contained a spring-wound clock or timer mechanism 43 of conventional form. The timer 43 is secured to a plate 44 seated on an annular shoulder 45 formed in the cap member 35. The timer 43 is wound or set by rotating a knob 46 secured to the timer shaft 47. Index markings 48, preferably in dollars but which may also be in gallons, are carried on a dial plate 49 secured to the timer shaft 47 and show through a transparent window 50 having a hair line 5l and fixed in a cover 5.7. secured to thecap member 35 as seen best in Fig. ll.

A rst cam plate 53, seen best in Fig. 3, having a sloped notch 5d is driven 'oy the timer. A second cam plate 55 having a sharper notch 56 is driven by said rst cam plate 53 through a lost-motion pin and slot connection 57 as shown. The second cam plate 55 has a diameter slightly larger than the rst cam plate 53 and bears against a 'follower pin 53 secured to a lever 59 pivoted at 6%. A biasing spring 6l urges the lever 59 in a'direction to keep the follower pin 5S in contact with the periphery of the second cam plate 55,

The lever is formed with a down-turned terminal portion 62 which enters an aperture 63 in the transverse wall of the cap member 35 as seen best in Eig. 2, and is seated in a reduced portion 6d of the piston valve 38 so that the movement of lever 59 will cause movement of the valve 3S. The arrangement of the parts is such that, when the pin is at the bottom of the notch 54, the piston valve 38 closes the port 36 and the zero index 4S is on the `hair line 5l. By turning the knob i6 clockwise in Fig. 4 the cam plate 53 in Fig. 3 is turned counterclockwise and the follower pin 58 is cammed out of the sloped notch 5d and causes the lever 59 to rotate and move the piston valve to uncover the port 36. The timer 43 then starts running and rotates the cam plate 53 in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 3. The second cam plate 55 is driven by the hrst cam plate 53 through the slot and pin connection 5'7 and after a predetermined time the 'follower pin 53 is suddenly pulled into the sharp notch 56 by the action of spring 6l thereby rotating the lever 59 and moving the piston `valve 38 to cover the port 36. it will be seen that closing the port 36 is equivalent to closing the opening 4l by a full receptacle and results upward movement of the diaphragm and causes the main valve i3 to close as explained fully in the United States Patent No. 2,582,195.

Pivotally secured to the valve body l@ is a swing latch member 65 adapted to engage and hold the hand lever 18 in the open position of the valve i3. A hairpin spring 66 biases the latch 65 to the dotted line position so that it must be positively set. An adjusting screw 67 secured to the swing latch 65 permits the hand lever 18 to be positioned for various degrees ot opening of the main valve i3 corresponding to various rates of flow through the nozzle. This adjustment is used for initial calibration and subsequently when a price change occurs in the fluid being dispensed, the flow rate can be readjusted by means of screw 67 until the dollar markings 4S on the dial i9 correspond to the dollar value olf the duid dispensed.

It will be understood that the addition o the timer and valve mechanism to the prior art dispensing nozzle valve does not in any way alter the existing advantages of the automatic shut-oit responsive to a filled receptacle. In this case the timer is merely turned to its maximum index position which corresponds to a time greater than that necessary to r'ill the largest tank.

If desired, the rate set by the adjusting screw 67 can be made slightly less than that required to give full measure at the time of automatic shut-oft, so that the attendant may thereafter complete the filling to the exact required amount by manual control of the nozzle valve.

To insure that the timer 43 begins timing responsively to the actuation of the hand lever i8 to open the main valve i3 as is desired, the slightly modied structure of Fig. 5 is used. ln this case a pin 63 is slidably received in a sleeve 69 to which is secured the diaphragm 29 by means of a nut 7l). The sleeve 69 is slidingly received in the plunger 2l and the pin 68 seats against the bottom of a bore 7l in the plunger 2l. A short pin 72 slidable in the cap member 35 bears at one end against the pin 68 and at the other end against a lever 73 pivoted at 74 on the timer 43. The lever 73 is biased downwardly as shown by means of a spring 75 and carries at its opposite end a pin 76 which frictionally contacts an escapement wheel 77 of the timer 43 to prevent its running in the position of the parts as shown. It will be seen that, in this position, there is some vertical lost motion between the balls 25 and the radial openings 26 in the plunger 2l which is normally maintained by the spring 24 urging the plunger 21 upwardly against the combined downward thrust Iprovided by the spring 75 and a diaphragm spring 78. However, when the hand lever 18 is pulled up to open the main valve 13, it initially pivots on the end of the stem 17 (Fig. l) due to the spring 14 being stronger than spring 24, and the plunger 21 is pulled downward to take up the vertical lost motion between the balls 25 and the radial openings 26. This movement allows the pin 68, urged by the spring 75, to follow the plunger 2l and, in so doing, the lever 73 moves downwardly to disengage the pin 7 6 from the escapement wheel 77 and allow the timer 43 to start running. After the vertical lost motion is thus taken up, the balls 25 prevent further downward movement of the plunger 21 and the hand lever 18 pivots about the pin 19 and lifts the valve stem 17 and with it the valve 13 to start the ilow through the nozzle. In this manner the timer 43 does not start timing out until the iiow through the nozzle begins and accurate delivery in accordance with the settings of the dial 49 is thus obtained.

Having thus described the nature of the invention, what i claim herein is:

l. An automatic shut-oft dispensing nozzle for uids comprising a valve mechanism for controlling the ow of fluid through the nozzle, a ldiphragm and a chamber associated therewith, said valve mechanism including a main valve having a passageway on the discharge side thereof constricted in the direction of ow therethrough, said constricted passageway and said chamber being in communication with one another, an oriice disposed adjacent the discharge end of the nozzle, a passage leading from said orijice to said chamber whereby air is drawn from said orice through the diaphragm chamber into the constricted passageway when fluid ilows therethrough and said orifice is exposed, valve means for closing said passage, timer means for closing said valve means at the expiration of a preset time whereby a pressure differential acts on said diaphragm to deflect same, and means responsive to said deflection to close said main valve to stop the llow of lluid through said nozzle.

2. A uid dispensing nozzle comprising a main valve, a hand lever for opening said valve, a latch for holding said lever in the open position of said valve, a pivot for said hand lever movable to a position for releasing said lever to close the main valve, a diaphragm for moving said pivot to release position responsively to ditferential air pressure on opposite sides of said diaphragm, a control valve for establishing said differential pressure, and manually preset timer means for operating said control valve after a predetermined time interval to close said main valve automatically.

3. A uid dispensing nozzle according to claim 2 in which the timer means carries a movable dial calibrated in dollars and a stationary index for setting the timer to shut oil the main valve after an amount of fluid equal in value to the dollar setting has been dispensed through the nozzle valve.

4. A uid dispensing nozzle according to claim 3 in which the latch for holding the hand lever in the open position of the main valve is adjustable to vary the `rate of ilow through the valve to compensate for changes in the unit price of the uid so that the timer dial calibration in dollars is always correct.

5. A uid dispensing nozzle according to claim 2 in which means normally operative to prevent the timer means from running is actuated responsively to manual movement of the hand lever to release the timer means for running substantially coincidentally with the opening of the main valve.

6. A diaphragm operated, automatic shut-off liquid flow control nozzle comprising a diaphragm chamber, a diaphragm forming a movable wall of said chamber, a suction tube extending from the nozzle of the valve and normally communicating with the diahragm chamber, a tube communicating at one end with said diaphragm chamber and having its other end exposed to a liquid flow through said valve, and a main valve controlling the ow of liquid therethrough, a cap member forming a rigid wall of said diaphragm chamber, a transverse bore formed in said cap member, a first port in said bore communicating with said chamber, a second port in said bore communicating with said suction tube, a piston seated in said bore and movable to cover and uncover said rst port, manually preset timer means secured to said cap member, lever means operatively connected to said timer means and to said piston for moving said piston responsively to actuation of said timer means at the end of a preset time period to cover said rst port thereby blocking the suction tube and creating a pressure differential on the diaphragm to operate same and means responsive to said diaphragm operation to close` the main valve to stop the flow of liquid through the nozzle.

7. A fluid dispensing nozzle comprising a main valve, a hand lever for opening said valve, a latch for holding said lever in the open position of said valve, a pivot for said hand lever movable to a position for releasing said lever to close the main valve, diaphragm means for moving said pivot to release position responsively to differential air pressure on opposite sides of said diaphragm, a control valve for establishing said dierential pressure, a manually preset timer for operating said control valve after a predetermined running time period of said timer to close said main valve automatically, holding means normally biased to prevent the timer from running and means operative responsively to the initial manual movement of said hand lever to release said holding means and allow the timer to start its timing period substantially coincidentally with the opening of the main valve.

Buchanan June 19, 1951 Soar Oct. 20, 1953 

